The Permanent Representative of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, warned against the long-standing policy of the Israeli occupation state to criminalize political activity, civil society and human rights defenders, and commended the international community for its firm stance against Israel´s classification of NGOs. Palestinians working in the field of human and human rights as terrorist organizations, stressing the need for Israel to retract this designation and stop its attacks on Palestinian civil society.
Mansour added in the State of Palestine´s speech before the United Nations Legal Committee during the discussion of the item entitled "Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism" that the most dangerous form of terrorism is that the rights of a people and the land of an entire nation are subjected to a widespread, systematic and indiscriminate attack, stressing that our people are subjected to aggression and terrorism. By the Israeli occupation forces and settler organizations, in light of complete impunity, calling on the international community to ensure international protection for the Palestinian people, including Palestinian children, civil society organizations and human rights defenders until freedom and independence is finally achieved.
Mansour also affirmed the State of Palestine´s condemnation and unequivocal rejection of terrorism, everywhere its forms and manifestations it is, and whoever committed it, thanking Iraq and Spain for their leadership of the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism in which the State of Palestine actively participates. He also expressed his welcome to the high-level international conference on human rights, civil society and combating terrorism, stressing the importance of finalizing the draft comprehensive convention against international terrorism.
In conclusion, Mansour stressed that the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy is about strengthening the rule of law rather than justifying its violation, protecting the people and not facilitating against them, respecting human dignity and not giving pretexts to violate it, and addressing the root causes of terrorism and all demonstrations and not perpetuating them, stressing Palestine´s full commitment with these goals.
Mansour warns against the occupation´s policies to criminalize civil society activity
